Real Estate Careers and Their Designations

Real Estate Careers and Their Designations: Whether you are an entrepreneur or plan to work for an established company, the real estate industry offers a variety of career opportunities, including those dealing with residential sales and leasing, commercial properties, industrial properties, and farmland, as well as property management appraisal, and counseling

Real Estate Careers and Their Designations

Here are 5 real estate career paths in the industry and their respective professional designations and certifications.

1. Residential Real Estate

Residential real estate agents help people throughout the process of buying and selling homes. In addition to showing homes to prospective buyers, agents help clients with property valuation, financing, mortgages, and government programs. Agents and brokers must be licensed in the state they practice as there is no national license. Each state has a licensing system and requirements that include some pre-licensing and state-specific licensing examinations.

2. Designations and Certifications

Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR): Awarded by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council of the National Association of REALTORS (REBAC), the ABR designation is designed for real estate agents who focus on working directly with buyer-clients. Candidates must complete a two-day course and successfully pass an exam to achieve the ARB candidate status. Within the following three years, candidates fulfill experience and continuing education requirements before becoming an ABR Designee. Accredited Seller Representative (ASR): Awarded by the Accredited Seller Agency Council, the ASR designation is designed for real estate agents who focus on working directly with seller-clients. Candidates must complete a 12-hour course, pass an exam, show proof of five closed sides of transactions where the candidate represented sellers, provide three letters of recommendation from three of those sellers, and be members of the National Association of REALTORS.

3. Commercial Real Estate

Commercial agents and brokers specialize in income-producing properties, such as retail stores, shopping centers, office buildings, industrial parks, and apartment complexes. Commercial real estate professionals help clients evaluate a property’s income potential and offer guidance regarding local zoning and tax laws. Some states require a specialized license for commercial transactions, while others cover residential and commercial transactions under the same license.

4. Real Estate Appraisal

Real estate appraisers determine the value of properties to help people and businesses find the assessed value for tax purposes, investment value, present value for potential investors, book value for accounting purposes, rental value, and insurable value. Appraisers must know acceptable appraisal principles, have practical experience, and some knowledge of mathematics, accounting, and economics. Often, appraisers work for banks or appraiser firms. Appraisers must be licensed by the state in which they work. You must first become an appraiser trainee by completing state-specified coursework. With additional coursework and experience, you can go on to become a licensed residential appraiser, a certified residential appraiser, and a certified general appraiser.

5. Property Management

Property managers maintain properties that produce financial returns for the property owners and are responsible for maintaining and managing the property, including budgeting and leasing. Residential property management involves apartment buildings, condominiums, and vacation rentals.

Commercial property management entails properties such as office buildings and shopping centers. Property managers often work for real estate firms. Most states require a real estate license for property managers who collect rent, list properties, or negotiate leases.

Those interested in learning more about the different types of property management may want to consider enrolling in one of the best property management courses currently available.